The autumn sun shone warmly. Today, Lu Tai was again sitting alone in the courtyard, pondering a game of chess, while Chen Pingan practiced the “Swordplay Scripture” nearby.

Since Lu Tai noticed the Flying Eagle Fort disciples spying on them last time, the Flying Eagle Fort hadn’t dared any more secret intrusions.

While Chen Pingan paused between sword forms, Lu Tai suddenly asked, “Chen Pingan, how about I teach you how to play chess?”

Chen Pingan was still rotating his wrist, searching for the most suitable and smooth grip to handle variations. To make his sword fast, he needed to constantly seek change in the details, which was similar to the extremely skillful “skipping knife” technique in porcelain making – seemingly “still” at first glance, but in reality, far from it.

Hearing Lu Tai’s suggestion, he shook his head and said, “Forget it. I’ve learned before, but I’m no good at it. When I first traveled, I saw masters playing chess. I prefer watching.”

Lin Shiyi, Xie Xie, and the young state preceptor who changed his name to Cui Dongshan – each of them had profound chess skills. Chen Pingan often watched them play, but he couldn’t even tell the quality, distance, or depth of the game. So he believed he didn’t have the talent for chess.

However, just like watching Lu Tai brew tea was pleasing to the eye, watching Lin Shiyi and Xie Xie play chess on the way to the Great Sui Empire also captivated Chen Pingan.

The feeling of detachment that the chess players had during the game, Chen Pingan found it very beautiful.

Lu Tai didn’t insist, and asked with a smile, “Do you know what the highest realm of chess is?”

Of course, Chen Pingan didn’t know.

Lu Tai picked up a chess piece and placed it, his eyes blazing. “No one ahead.”

Chen Pingan thought for a moment and nodded. “Mm.”

This time, it was Lu Tai’s turn to be surprised. He raised his head and looked at Chen Pingan sideways. “You really understand?”

Chen Pingan walked slowly in the courtyard, his Qi sinking to his Dantian, his fist intent flowing out. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable, but it was already a realm of profound depth. He smiled and said, “There’s a person’s sword, and the old man who helped me temper my martial arts in the Three Realms, his fist. They both feel like that, like you said, ‘no one ahead’.”

Even though Lu Tai had seen too many extraordinary people and beautiful scenery, seen opulent meals and noble figures, with feathered fans and silk scarves, eating the essence of the sun and drinking the dew of the moon.

Watching Chen Pingan practice boxing was still a pleasure.

But Lu Tai felt Chen Pingan could do even better.

He stood up and took a deep breath.

Four wisps of white Qi slowly drifted out from between his nose and ears, but they didn’t leave or dissipate, like four slender white serpents hanging upside down on his face.

Chen Pingan was puzzled, wondering why Lu Tai did this.

Lu Tai walked to the center of the courtyard and slowly said, “Pure martial artists refine Qi, and Qi refiners also nourish and refine Qi. Breathing and exhaling can’t escape the word ‘Qi’. Qi like a gossamer thread, in ordinary people, describes someone near death, but in sword cultivators, it’s a different scene.”

Lu Tai slowly exhaled a breath, the Qi condensing like a thread, eventually turning into a miniature flying sword in front of him. Lu Tai blew gently on it.

Chen Pingan’s heartstrings trembled. He quickly turned his head. A streak of white light flashed past his ear. Then, that extremely thin white light rapidly flew around the entire courtyard, constantly drawing out trails of lingering light and color, weaving the courtyard like a sword Qi cage, a thunder pool full of fierce sword Qi.

Lu Tai stamped his foot, and the phenomenon instantly disappeared.

Lu Tai smiled and said, “Although I’m not a pure martial artist, I still understand the principles. You, Chen Pingan, practice boxing like a madman. You’ve practiced just one ordinary boxing stance a million times, so your fist intent is naturally formed. But you don’t really understand the true meaning.”

Lu Tai faced Chen Pingan, one hand behind his back, the other hand stretched out, palm open. “The world’s boxing stances, besides strengthening muscles and bones, nourishing blood and Qi, and warming the soul and spirit, the real secret lies in a true Qi that ‘doesn’t rely on the power of heaven and earth, but instead commands heaven and earth’, connected tightly, for the sake of punching so fast that it defies reason!”

Lu Tai straightened his fist, and a loud bang sounded, fist energy exploded, and the sound of silk tearing was heard.

Lu Tai punched again, slightly inclined, one stroke and one slide, the final destination of the punch was still the original position, but the momentum was silent, but the air touched by the fist was shattered, the momentum was astonishing.

Lu Tai explained: “Two punches, I used the same strength and spirit. A straight punch, seemingly the shortest path, but it’s like trekking through mountains and rivers. The fastest way is to find the mountain path and go downstream. If you go straight, you won’t be fast enough. The legendary true end of martial arts is the tenth realm, and above that is the Martial God realm, which is the heavenly scenery that even Qi refiners envy and fear.”

Lu Tai put away his fist, sighed, and looked up at the sky, his eyes dazed, “The world is in turmoil. Chen Pingan, you must live on. Being able to hold out until the end is…”

The corners of Lu Tai’s mouth seeped blood, but he continued to say, “You must live on, hold on to a certain place, never be swept away by the general trend, be the pillar in the torrent, when the time comes, heaven and earth will work together. Chen Pingan, don’t fight for momentary gains and losses. I believe you will go further than that Cao Ci, you will rebuild the Bridge of Longevity, you will become a great sword immortal…”

Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed.

For ordinary Qi refiners, it might just be a casual joke that can be said offhand.

But it’s different for Yin-Yang experts.

Those who are proficient in divination, fortune-telling, and astrology often don’t die peacefully. Even if they do, don’t expect blessings for their descendants. It may even be a case of mortgaging the future, the ancestors losing virtue, harming future generations.

Chen Pingan had already seen that something was wrong, and shouted softly, “Lu Tai, enough!”

Lu Tai nodded, raised the back of his hand to wipe away the bloodstains, sat back at the stone table, and smiled brightly, “Since I found this place, found Shangyang Terrace in Flying Eagle Fort, then you will need to travel alone after this.”

Chen Pingan sat next to him and nodded. “After things are settled here, I will head north alone. You don’t have to worry.”

Lu Tai asked, “What are your plans?”

“Of course I have plans.”

Chen Pingan smiled and said, “In the near term, it’s to find an ancient battlefield site, to find those Yin souls and heroic spirits that still gather and don’t disperse after death, to temper my three souls and solidify the foundation of the fourth realm of martial arts. In the long term, after returning to my hometown, I will continue to learn boxing from the old man, and walk steadily step by step, so that the possibility of reaching the seventh realm will be greater.”

Lu Tai nodded. “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. This little bit of heavenly backlash is just a common occurrence for the Lu family.”

After Chen Pingan confirmed that Lu Tai wasn’t putting on a brave face, he relaxed, put his hands behind his head, and said leisurely, “There’s also something I’ve been wanting to do, but haven’t had time to do yet. Build a road for my hometown, with a rest pavilion every three or five miles. I wouldn’t begrudge spending any amount of money.”

Lu Tai said unhappily, “Just a road, it won’t cost much.”

No wonder this guy’s two natal flying swords are called Needle Tip and Wheat Awn. It seems he’s born to argue with people.

Chen Pingan didn’t argue with him, and continued, “When I get to my hometown, I’ll try to personally manage the two shops in Riding Dragon Lane. As long as they can make money, even if the daily income is only a few copper coins, it’s fine.”

“And then there are those immortal tombs and broken statues of gods. Although I did some things when I went home before, building many sheds and repairing some, it’s still not enough. They still need to be officially re-gilded.”

“Is that why you bought those books on statues?”

“Mm. Try to know more taboos and rules, so as not to do bad things with good intentions.”

Lu Tai smiled and said, “You’re really busy.”

Chen Pingan always looked into the distance, “Further away, would you like to hear it?”

“Say it, if you say it badly and dirty my ears, I’ll jump into the well and wash them.”

Chen Pingan ignored his sarcasm, “I want more buildings to be erected one by one outside the bamboo building in my hometown, Fallen Mountain, from the foot of the mountain… no, from halfway up the mountain, all the way to the top, with those roof tiles, drips, flying eaves, caissons, and mortise and tenon joints you mentioned, all of them.”

Chen Pingan said here, stretched out a hand, and gestured fiercely upwards.

Lu Tai rolled his eyes, “What terrifying ambition.”

Chen Pingan was a little discouraged.

Lu Tai quickly raised both hands, “Okay, okay, you keep talking. I won’t laugh at you anymore.”

Chen Pingan then continued, “I want to buy a lot of books, the sages of the three teachings, the masters of the hundred schools, the writings of the former sages, all of them. Before the Li Zhu Grotto Heaven was broken, in a city lane like my Mud Bottle Lane, how rare a book was, you can’t imagine, more difficult than seeing a silver tael.”

“I want many spiritual tools and magic treasures to be placed in the big and small buildings on the mountain. I also want to collect specialties from all over the world, such as the Splendid Earth Clothes and Fighting Cock Cups from the Colored Clothes Country. Those lively and lovely elves and monsters, charming spirits that help people dress up, little guys who can stand on the branches of potted plants and greet guests with their hands folded, raise some of them. Strange flowers and plants, high mountains and flowing water, pavilions and towers, lush forests and tall bamboos, every day there will be a sea of clouds like a river of mountain mist surging over the hillside…”

“Li Baoping and Li Huai can study there with peace of mind, Lin Shiyi can concentrate on cultivating, Yu Lu can reach the peak of martial arts, and ask the old man surnamed Cui for boxing techniques and strikes, Xie Xie can be there… without being bullied by Cui Dongshan, the blue-clothed boy and the pink-skirted girl can cultivate there if they want to, and be lazy if they want to. There’s a girl named Ruan Xiu who can often come to my house as a guest, and I can take out the pastries made in my shop to entertain her…”

“Every first and fifteenth of the month, many people will go to the Mountain God Temple on Fallen Mountain to burn incense. I want to make the mountain road wider, with bluestone slabs like Peach Leaf Lane in Fulujie, so that people don’t have to worry about muddying their shoes on rainy days. Prepare many straw raincoats and bamboo hats in the Mountain God Temple, so that even if it rains temporarily, the people won’t be afraid. They can borrow them to go down the mountain, and return them next time they burn incense.”

“No matter what the world is like, how people live at the foot of the mountain, how the other mountains are, I only hope that everyone in my place loves each other, and every day is a comfortable one. I hope that myself and the people around me will no longer feel like we can’t do anything, like with Liu Xianyang that time, but when we have the right on our side, if others don’t listen, then we’ll make them listen, whether it’s with fists or with swords…”

Lu Tai had been listening quietly.

Like watching Chen Pingan building his snowman in the summer.